Fabric-stretching machine.



L MjDGLEY, FABRIC smncuma MACHINE.

APPLICATION 1115b MAR. 18. 19 4.

- Patented Nov. 30, 1915. s SHEETS-SHEET I.

' UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MIDGLEY, OF 'WORTHINGTON,-OHIO; ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN & WRIGHT, OF

' DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

FABRIC-STRETCI-IING MACHINE.

out on the bias, these fabric strips during the operation of building up the tire, requiring considerable distortion to shape them tothe configurationof the tire. l My inventionprovides a process for 1m parting a permanent transverse stretch to the fabric prior to its application to the tire, thereby imparting to it. a greater capacity for more.readilyyertaking of the contour of the tire than is inherent in the normal fabric, and compensating for the longitudinal stretch when the fabric is applied to the core or form under longitudinal tension in building theearcass, thereby permitting the fabric .to be laid on with the correct angle betweenthestrands or threads of fabric preserved.

My invention further provides novel ap-- paratus for changing the angular relation of the warp and weft threads. in woven fabric from their original angular relation and for spooli'ngthe product for subsequent use. I

In the drawing I have shown a form of apparatus whifih is suitable for use in practising my invention, in which draw1ng- Figure I chine; Fig. 2 isa plgn view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in'Fi 1; Fig. 4 is a'detailed sectional view showing one of the stretching devices; F 1g. 5 1s a de tailed perspective view-yshowing one of the stretching devices.

- Referring now to the" drawing, the machine briefly comprisesa feed table which is supported upon suitable legs '11. The sheets of fabric 12- supported by the table, are advanced to the delivery end of the latter by frictional engagement with'feed rolls 13 which project partially through trans- Specification of Letters Patent.

is a side elevation of the/ma Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial No. 825,484.

edge portions of the fabric and advance the I fabric over, the drum. The rows of pins .have spreading apart movement with respect to each other while engaging the fabric whereby ,the fabric is stretched transversely.

The rows of pins also have radial movement,

with respect to the drum, succeeding their spreading apart movement, whereby they are withdrawnand release the stretched fabric. The stretched fabric passes from the drum over andfri-etionally drives-an idle roll 17 where ibis-supplied witha' ribbon of backing material 18'. aaulfinally is spooled upon a driven stock-roll '19 for subsequent use. The feed rolls and druni are driven by a common chain-drive 20 from a drive-shaft 21 and thestock-roll is drivenfrom the drive-shaft by meshing gears 22- and 23.

The stretching drum constitutes a highly important element of the apparatus since the fabric has imparted thereto a permanent transverse stretch while passing thereover.

In detail, the'drum is formed-with trans-" verse peripheral grooves 24: that open through the side facesof the drum, each groove receiving and forming a guide-way for a pair of bars 25 placed end to end and simultaneously movable in opposite direc tions therein. A band 26 encircles the drum circu'mferentially and retainsthe bars in the guide-ways; Each bar projects at the outer end beyond the corresponding" side face of the drum and terminates ina lug'QT which extends radially toward the axis. of the drum' and is formed with an orifice 28 which slidably receives one of the above-mentioned pins 16, said pin having a block-head 29 w ich confronts the end face of the lug.

- A non-rotatable cam 30 at eachside of the drum operates the corresponding row of bars and their pins, each cam being formed with a peripheral cam-slot 31,- which receives the lugs ofthe bars and shifts the bars laterally during rotation of the drum, and with an internal cam -slot 32 which receives the ofl. the dru'm. I

stretching of the fabr c the relative angular heads of the pins and moves thepinsradially during rotation. of the drum. To facilltate the formation of these slots each cam is preferably-formed of two mating halves 38 and 3a bolted together as shown at The relative configurations of the slots in the cams are such that the rows of pins gradually divergenvith respect to each other after engaging the fabric and stretch the fabric laterally iduring its passage over the upper side ofthe drum, and are then with-. drawn from the stretched fabric radially to free the fabric for unobstructed passage During this transverse relation of the warp and weft threads will be changed from their normal relation due to the fabric being, foreshortened in length and PTOpOl'tlOI'lat'Oly increased in width.

more particular construction of the drum mentioned, it being only. essential to the practice oftheinvention that the fabric be epgaged and stretched laterally to permanently change the normal angular relation of the warp and weft threads.

The shaft 38 of theldrum 'is journaled in hubs 39 formed integrahwith the cams 30,

thesehubs being non-rotatably mounted in boxes 40 on thelegs of the. table, one of the hubs'being keyed to its'respe'ctive box as shown at ll and the other being feathered for sliding movement in its box as shown at 42 for. a purpose which will. now be 6X1 plained. In order to adjust the apparatus to accommodate various widths of fabrics, I employ an adjusting device indicated at 43, which comprises a sleeve 44 providedwith ahand-wheel 45 and having a screwthread connection 46 with the feathered hub above mentioned, the sleevebeing anchored to the table'by a pin 47 working in agroove 48 on the sleeve. A cap 49 is turnably mounted'on the end of the drum-shaft and has a screwthrea'ded connection 50 with the sleeve, of. one-half the pitch of the thread connection 'between the sleeve and hub,,the capbeing feathered to slide on a reduced nipple 51 integral withsaid hub,

as shown at 52.

Rotation Oftll'fi L na-wheel serves is shift the shiftable cam laterally the desired distance and atthe same time shift the drum-shaft laterally one-half this distance to center the drum relative to the cams. To

providefor shifting of the drum-shaft without interfering with its rotation by the chain drive, the shaft is feathered to slide through its drive sprocket as. shown at 54, the sprocket being journaled in the hub of the stationary .cam and held against sliding movement by a pin 55.

To provide against increasing the tension of the fabric as the convolutions increase in diameter on the stock roll, the drivev sprocket 56 of the stock roll shaft 57 is loosely confined on the shaft between friction disks 58 and 59, one ofwhich is shiftable through the instrumentality of a handwhecl 60 to regulate the friction exerted by the disk upon the sprocket. As the fabric accumulates on the stock roll, the drive sprocket slips between the friction disks to In operation, a strip of fabriccut o n -the.

bias is placed on the feed table. and the machine is'then' set in operation. Thereupon the feed rolls advance the fabric .to the drum where it is seized at the edgeportions by the stretching pins. The rotation of the.

drum and the pins carried thereby advances the fabric over the upperside of the drum, the rows of pins slmultaneously and gradually movingapart during the progress of the fabric over the drum and imparting a permanent. transverse stretch to the fabric. The rows of pins release the fabric when it arrives. at the under side "of the drum, the stretched fabric being then drawn on to and around the'stock roll and passing over an idle roll on the way to the stock rollwliere it is supplied to a ribbon of backing material which separates the convolutions of the fabric on the stock' roll. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to have. protected by Lette'rs Patent is: i

1. A machine for pre-stretching'fabric' embodying asupport for the fabric, pins for engaging the lateral edge portions of thefabric, and means fornmoving the pins radially and laterally. v

2. A machine for pre-stretching the fabric embodving-a support for tl1e';fabric,.pins

-' for engaging the lateral edge portions .of

the fabric movable in diverging paths, and

means. for withdrawing the pins radially from the'fabric at the end of their diverging movement. f

A machine for Dre-stretching fabric embodying alsupport for the fabric, oppositely disposed pins for engaging the lateral edge Eportions of the fabric, and cams for'moving the pins radially and laterally.

A1. A machine for pre-stretching fabric'embodying'a support for the fabric, pins for engaging the lateral edge portions of the fabric and moving the fabric upon the sup- .port, and'cams directing said pins laterally' and then withdrawing the pins radially during a' succeeding the support. p l

6. A machine for pre-s'tretching fabric embodying a revoluble'support for the-fabric, pins for engaging the lateral edge portions of the fabric, mounted on the support for lateral and radial movements, and stationary cams for moving the pins. p

portion of the rotation of 7. A machine for pre-stretching rubber treated fabric .cut on the bias embodying a support for the fabric, a driven take-u roll for the fabric, pins for engaging the lateral edge portions of the fabric and advancing "the same over the support to the take-up roll, and cams for moving the pins laterally in' diverging paths and then radially during the progressofthe fabric over the support,

to'permanently change the normal angularrelation of the warp and Weft threads of thefabric.

v 8. Amachine for pre-stretching fabric em hodying a feed table for the fabric, a'revolublestretching drum at the delivery. end of the table, pins carried by the drum for engaging the lateral edge portions of the fabric and advancing the same over the drum, camsfor directing the .pins laterally in diverging pathsand then radially during the progress of the fabricover the drum,

and atake-up roll forreceiving the fabric from the drum. '9. In a machine for pre-stretclnng fabric,

' a" revoluble drum, opposed bars carried by the drum mounted for lateral movement thereon, means for engaging the edge portions of the fabric mounted on the bars for radial movement, and non-revoluble cams for engaging the bars and movmgthe' same gradually in opposite directions from each other and moving said means radially on the bars. 4

Signed at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, this 13th day of March,

THOMAS MIDGLEY.

Witnesses:

E.;LA BUscHEwsKY,

- J. H.@SWIFT. 

